World Snooker Championship 2025

Nice start for Zhao. 3-1 interval lead and century break in the 2nd frame.

I have to support Zhao to win as he's the only player left I've got money on. Still a long way to go, and Williams is experienced at finding ways to stay on the table and keep his opponent in his seat. If Zhao can manage it he can go one better than Ding Junhui who got to the final in 2016, but lost 18-14 to Mark Selby. If Zhao wins the World Championship, he will enter the professional ranks in the new season in the top 16, if he loses he'll enter in the top 32.

Xintong's played very well but I have to say that he's had all the luck.

Mark Williams is already in serious trouble without Zhou playing consistently well imo.
The Welshman has failed to convert key chances in the match and the risk of a runaway victory for his opponent is growing incessantly.

Higgins and Trump both led well against him, but he battled back. He's done better this evening, from 1-7 down, but every time he gets a little closer, Zhao pulls away again. He'll have his work out tomorrow afternoon to stop Zhao winning a session early.

Williams battled hard this evening and ultimately reduced his arrears by one frame to five behind overnight at 6-11.

If Mark Williams wins today as a quinquagenarian, he will be the oldest player to ever lift the trophy. Ronnie O'Sullivan holds the record, he was 46 when he won the title in 2022. The legendary Joe Davis was 45 when he last won the title in 1946. But I want Zhao to keep doing as he has been doing to keep my winnings safe.

17-8. As good as over.
Mark Williams making too many errors and spurning too many chances. He just has not performed at the same level as in the semi final while Zhou has just kept on mopping up the balls with ease.

The last act of the final this evening should be brief.

But Mark Williams is having some fun with no pressure on and it's now 17-12 and a mid session interval is required.
If only the standard produced tonight had been on display in the first three sessions. Oh well. Alas.

A disappointing end to a tournament that promised much but imo with the exception of a couple of matches after the first round delivered painfully little.
The Williams v Higgins quarter final and Williams v Trump semi final aside it lacked any sort of excitement after the opening round had finished.

Losing so many top players in the first round didn't help matters.
I can't help feeling that if Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby and Neil Robertson had not fallen victim to first round banana skin defeats all three could have tested Zhou way more than anyone ultimately did.

Jak Jones was poor, Wakelin was poor, Ronnie was poor and Mark Williams had run out of steam. Nobody put Zhou under any pressure and he just happily mopped up frame after frame without a care in the world. That is the harsh reality.

Zhou was excellent and deservedly won the title. His opponents were miles off it and failed to put him under any pressure which made it a bit dull.

If anyone has ever had prospects to defy the Crucible curse Zhou may be the man to do it in 2026. He is undoubtedly a huge talent.

I thought it was a thrilling end to the tournament, even if Zhao's big early lead rather took the suspense out of it. Well done to him on completing his odyssey from exile, and the first qualifier to win in 20 years.

At the end of a 12 month period which saw the exits of Terry Griffiths and Ray Reardon, Mark gave the crowd some drama & value-for-money this evening to prolong things. I suspect none of the Class of 92 want to be the first to walk away.

As for the idea that other opponents might have pushed ZX harder - well, that's the luck of the draw. If the dominoes fall before you can push them over, then it's still up to you to capitalise. There are lots of skills that make up becoming World Champion, despite blase pundits who seem to think there's some mythic element of justice involved. Plenty of far crapper players have built reputations as Crucible legends based on sparse evidence.

Three first-time champions in a row